QATAR: W.I.S.H. SUMMIT TO HOST PANEL ON ISLAMIC ETHICS

DOHA, Qatar – The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), will host a panel on Islamic ethics, during its two-day 2016 conference, which begins on Nov 29, in Doha, Qatar.

Using hypothetical case studies, the panel will provide answers to ethical questions surrounding genomics in Arab Muslim countries and the Gulf region, where this new discipline has attracted increased interest over the past few

years. It will address issues such as, managing the return of incidental findings, which involve various stakeholders, including healthcare professionals and policy makers.

For the first time since the launch of the WISH summit, the Islamic ethics panel will produce a report, including policy recommendations on how to create culturally sensitive guidelines. As interest in the field of genomics expands, the issues of morality and ethics are poised to gain further attention.

This report will lay out various hypothetical scenarios, to help tackle such issues from an Islamic perspective.

“Discussions will focus on finding the right balance between openness to new healthcare practices and Islamic traditions. Our conclusions will combine these two elements to provide policy recommendations in the context of healthcare delivery,” said Dr. Mohammed Ghaly, panel moderator and professor of Islam and Biomedical Ethic at the Research Centre for Islamic Legislation and Ethics (CILE), a member of Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies (QFIS) in Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU).

WISH, a global initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), is a meeting point for thousands of high-level policymakers, academics, and professionals. It has also evolved into a key platform for the dissemination of healthcare innovation and best practices.

The WISH 2016 summit will feature seven groundbreaking research forums, that highlight and address some of the world’s most pressing healthcare challenges.

In addition, the summit will feature innovation showcases from around the world, that are shaping the design, delivery, and financing of care, as well as, a cohort of young innovators; emerging healthcare leaders, under the age of 30, whose contributions to global health deserve wider recognition.